Night-time blood pressure dipping, but not 24-h blood pressure level, is linked to increased 24-h ocular volume slope

TL;DR

This study found that a drop in nighttime blood pressure, not overall blood pressure levels, is linked to changes in eye volume in non-glaucoma patients.

Contribution

The study identifies a novel link between nocturnal blood pressure dipping and ocular volume changes in treatment-naive, non-glaucoma patients.

Findings

Dippers had a significantly higher 24-h ocular volume slope than non-dippers.

No significant difference in ocular volume slope was found between normotensive and hypertensive patients.

Nocturnal blood pressure decline is associated with increased nocturnal ocular volume.

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between blood pressure and intraocular
pressure in treatmentnaive, non-glaucoma patients with different blood pressure
statuses, focusing on the 24-h ocular volume and nocturnal blood pressure decline.

Treatment-naive, non-glaucoma patients undergoing hypertension evaluation were enrolled
as study participants. Simultaneous 24-h ambulatory blood pressure measurement and 24-h
ocular volume recording with a contact lens sensor. We also compared ocular volume curve
parameters between normotensive and hypertensive patients, as well as between those with
and without nocturnal blood pressure decline.

A total of 21 patients, including 7 normotensive and 14 treatment-naive hypertensive
individuals, were included in the study. of them, 11 were dippers and 10 were
non-dippers. No significant difference in the 24-h ocular volume slope was observed
between the hypertensive and normotensive patients (p=0.284). However, dippers had a
significantly higher 24-h ocular volume slope (p=0.004) and nocturnal contact lens
sensor output (p=0.041) than non-dippers.

Nocturnal blood pressure decline, rather than the blood pressure level, is associated
with the increased 24-h ocular volume slope and nocturnal ocular volume. Further studies
are required to determine whether the acceleration of glaucoma progression in dippers is
primarily due to low blood pressure, high intraocular pressure, or a combination of
both.

Figures